The Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) celebrated its 72nd year at the Annual Dinner Meeting held on Thursday, November 3rd at the Geauga County Fairgrounds School Building. With 66 people in attendance, the Annual Meeting began with the election of two members to the Geauga SWCD five-member Board of Supervisors. Mike Henry, Jeffrey Huntsberger, and Kristina Port were this year’s candidates. Mike Henry and Jeffrey Huntsberger were elected to serve a 3-year term and will help set the direction for the District.
Throughout the evening Geauga SWCD celebrated our county’s commitment to conservation. After a welcome and introductions by Board Chair Mike Henry, Carmella Shale, District Director, kicked off the evening by reflecting on the highlights and District accomplishments of 2016. The evening’s presentation featured Adam Arnold of Tangent Company who provided a glimpse of The Future of Water. The conservation awards began with Joe Lausin being recognized as the 2016 “Best of Show” winner in the Geauga County Fair Hay & Grain Show. Newbury Elementary School received special recognition with the 2016 Outstanding Environmental Education Program Award for their annual Wet Labs program. The District also honored it’s very first BIG Tree Contest winner, Joan Demirjian of Bainbridge Township, for her champion Sugar Maple which was this year’s featured tree.
In addition, the following 2016 Poster Contest winners were also acknowledged: Grades K-1: 1st place – Kohana Mori, 2nd place – Ashley Wennerstrom both of Timmons Elementary School; Grades 2-3: 1st place – Brianna Trivisonno – Homeschool; Grades 4-6: 1st place – Abbigail McGee of Hambden Elementary School, 2nd place – Sarah Skytta of Cardinal Middle School; Grades 7-8: 1st place – Samantha Stephens and 2nd place – Madeline Scarvelli both of Kenston Middle School. The evening concluded with a Chinese Auction raffle of various themed baskets. Thanks to a generous donation from Western Reserve Land Conservancy, all attendants also received a bird feeder.
The Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District wishes to thank all of our supporters, especially Mangia! Mangia!, Patterson Fruit Farm, Messenger Century Farm, Great Lakes Cheese, Hess and Associates Engineering, Inc., Akron Rubber Ducks, Severance Hall, Akron Symphony, Cleveland Botanical Garden, Chagrin Valley Roller Rink, Lake County Captains, Lake Erie Monsters, The Pro Football Hall of Fame, John Robert’s Spa, Pickle Bills, African Safari Wildlife Park, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, Petronzio Management Company, Cleveland International Film Festival, Quill, CT Consultants, and the Cleveland Improv Comedy Club for their generous donations and continued support!
Pictured In Photo: During the Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District’s Annual Meeting, District Director Carmella Shale presents Joe Lausin the 2016 Geauga County Fair Hay and Grain “Best of Show” Award.
